2023 US Open set to use same tennis balls for both men's and women's after complaints
Tennis NewsThursday, 17 August 2023 at 19:30
After complaints from mainly the WTA players, the US Open have decided to make a change for this year's tournament not only when it comes to video review, but also the tennis balls used.
During a press conference on Thursday, tournament director Stacey Allaster confirmed that after consultation from players, they have made the decision to use the same ball for both draws going forward in a decision made at the back end of 2023 due to the lead times.
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Iga Swiatek, the current World No.1, was among the most vocal critics of the balls used calling them 'horrible' and that she didn't understand why the same one's weren't used for both.
Both Swiatek and also Paula Badosa went to Steve Simon to voice their opinions with 'unfavorable conditions' cited by the latter in particular. But both now have their wish of using the same tennis balls.
It was the only major previously not to feature this change meaning all now use the same balls in both tournaments.
"Every year, the WTA informs us of what Wilson US Open ball they would like their athletes to play with," Allaster said. "Last year during the tournament, we had some players that wanted to change the ball and I met with some of those players and said, 'Look talk to [WTA chairman and CEO] Steve Simon. Talk to your player council representatives. If the WTA wants to change the ball, no problem, Wilson can accommodate that.' It's no extra cost.
"The only condition we gave to the WTA was we need to know what ball you want to play with in 2023 at the end of the 2022 US Open. That's how far the lead times are for Wilson to produce the volume of our US Open ball."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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